Sealing device



March 1, 1932. w. M. BROOKS SEALING DEVICE Filed April 8, 1950 Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES WINFRED M. nRooKs, or wn srlonnrren,,Nnw ERsEY SEALING nnvrori Q Application filed April 8, 1930. Serial No. 442,707,

This invention relates to sealing devices and has for its main object and feature a sealing device of sheet material that is provided with means for preventing accidental opening thereof but which, when deliberately tampered with, will compel opening in a. certain manner and tell-tale breakage along certain lines.

In the accompanying drawings'the invention is disclosed in a concrete and preferred form in which Fig. l is a plan view of the sealing device before use;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with one end portion in folded position over the element to be sealed;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the other end portion in folded position;

Fig. 4.- is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on the plane of line 5 of 3; and r Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but with the second end portion broken off 1 indicates a main central portion having upstanding flanges 2. At one end of said main portion is an end portion 3, and extending between 1 and 3 is a neck 4, said neck being for the reception of an element, such as cord 5, to be sealed. Said end portion is provided with prongs 6 at its free end that project beyond the main portion when said end portion is in folded position. Said end portion is further provided with a transverse bulge 7, and it will be observed that, when said end portion is folded against the mainjportion, it lies between the upstanding flanges and that the transverse bulge likewise lies between the upstanding flanges. 8 is a. second end portion connected to the other end'of the main portion by neck 9 and, as shown, said second end portion is shorter than the first end portion so that when it is folded against the first end portion its free end 10 lies closely adjacent the transverse bulge, and said neck also extends between the prongs of the first neck portion. Said neck is provided with two weakened zones 11 and 12, the outermost one (12) being preferably weaker than the innermost one.

In use, the element to be sealed is placed on the neck of the first end portion, and said first end portion is then folded over the main portion where it lies between the upstanding flanges. The second end portion is now folded over the first one, and having two weakened zones the bending takes place along both zones. If the neck of the second end portion had only one weakened zone there would be danger of said neck breaking during the closing action, but this danger is obviated by providing two weakened zones that compel the bending to take place along two lines whereby a very sharp bending at one point is avoided. IVhen the operation is reversed and unbending occurs, then the bending, to

insure breakage, should take place along one zone only, and that the outermost one and for this reason: If the unbending action takes place along line 11, then but little movement is required to withdraw neck 9 from between pron s 6, but if unbending takes place along line 12 then considerable movement, insuring rupture of the metal, is needed to withdraw said neck. In order, therefore, to compel unbending to take place along line 12, said line or zone 12 is preferably made weaker than line 11. The function of transverse bulge 7 is to prevent accidental movement and possible breakage of the second end portion when handling the closed seal. The upstanding flanges also assist in protecting the seal against accidental opening. Finally, it will be seen that both the transverse bulge and the upstanding flanges render the intro- 1 duction of a tool, for the purpose of tampering with the parts, more diflicult.

I claim: a

A sheet material sealing device including: a main central portion having upstanding side flanges, an end portion having a neck connecting it to the main portion at one end thereof at a point intermediate the upstanding flanges, said neck for the reception of the element to be sealed and admitting of the folding of the end portion against the main portion so that it lies between said upstanding flanges, said end portion further having a transverse bulge, adjacent the neck por tion, which bulge, when the end portion is folded against the main portion, lies between the upstanding flanges, and a second end portion, of lesser length than the first one, having a neck connecting it to the main portion at the other end thereof, said neck admitting of the folding of the second end portion. against the first end portion With thefree end of said second end portion closely adjacent the bulge of the folded first end portion.

Signed at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey this 3rd day of April, 1930. V

VINFRED M. BROOKS. 

